We first met, or at least tried to meet on Saturday, 8th December ,2007, at Christie Park, but heavy rain forced the match to be abandoned after 22 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch.

Morecambe: Lewis, Yates, Artell, Bentley, Stanley, Twiss, Hunter, Baker, Allen, Newby and Adams [unused subs Curtis, Thompson, Sorvel, Grand and Davies,S.].

Darlington: Stockdale, Cummins, White, Foster, Ridley, Ravenhill, Joachim, Purdie, Blundell,, Wright and Foran [unused subs Oakes, Miller, Austin, Abbott and Keltie].

The match was replayed on Tuesday 15th January 2008, the Shrimps playing well but conceding three goals (Neil Austin 27, Julian Joachim 63 and Greg Blundell 70) to lose 0-3, att 2,773.

Morecambe : Jalal, Yates, Bentley, Adams, Grand, Baker, Drummond (Hunter), Stanley, Blinkhorn, Twiss and Thompson (Curtis) [unused subs Davies,S., Howard and Newby].

Darlington: Stockdale, Austin, Foster, Miller, Mayo, Joachim, Cummins (Purdie), Ravenhill, Foran, Wright (Keltie) and Abbott (Blundell) [unused subs Wiseman and Liversedge].

We drew 2-2 on Easter Monday , 24th March 2008 at the Darlington Arena, the Shrimps led 2-0 with goals from a Garry Thompson 38th minute penalty and Jon Newby on 41. The Quakers equalised with late goals from Jason Kennedy 85 and Guy Ndumbu-Nsungu 89. Att 3,719

Darlington: Stockdale, White, Foster, Joachim, Blundell (Ndumbu-Nsungu), Parker, Wright (Austin), Valentine, Foran, Hodge (Purdie) and Kennedy [unused subs Liversedge and Miller]

Morecambe: Davies,S, Yates, McStay, Bentley (Artell), Burns, Thompson, Stanley, Drummond, Curtis, Newby (Twiss) and Blinkhorn [unused subs Jalal, Hunter and Baker].

Darlington : Morecambe

Brian Healy 2001-02 :1996-99

Harry Holdcroft 1928-31 : 1947-48

Kenny Lowe 1996-98 : 1987-88

George McLoughlin 1925-26 : 1931-32

Malcolm Poskett 1985-86 : 1988-89

Neil Wainwright 1999-2000 & 2001-08 : 2008-09

George Warburton 1945-46 : 1936-37, 1939-40 and 1945-48

Ken Waterhouse 1964-65 ; 1965-68 and 1970-72 (player manager/manager).

The greatest player was George Henry Holdcroft. Harry born in Burslem on January 23rd 1909, after playing for junior sides Biddulph, Norton Druids and Whitfield Colliery, played for Port Vale 1926-28, Darlington 1928-31, Everton 1931-32 before becoming a legend at PNE 1932-45, where he was a F.A.Cup winner in 1937-38 after helping North End back into Division One in 1933-34. 2 England caps in 1936-37 v Wales and Northern Ireland, plus a Football League against the Scottish League the same season.

WW2 guest player with Accrington Stanley, Burnley, Bury, Manchester United, Oldham Athletic and Southport. Moved in October 1945 to Barnsley before dropping down to the non-league world with Leyland Motors 1946-47, Morecambe 1947-48 and Chorley 1948-49. Harry died on April 17th 1983.